Signal apparatus.



W. T. oon. SIGNAL APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION PILBD JAN. 5, 1905. RENEWED MAR. 6, 190B.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

WALTER T. MOON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIS-OHALMERS COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

\ SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Application filed January 5,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

1905, Serial No. 239,698. Renewed. March 6, 1908. Serial No. 419,567.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER T. MOON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Apparatus; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to means for signah mg and 1ts ob ect 1s to provide apparatus whereby an operator is informed as to the v correctness of a signal which he conte1nmy invention, on the plates operating.

It often occurs that a person endeavoring to locate a certain house in the night time, at which time the numbers of the houses are obscured, will ring the bells of several houses in an effortto find the one desired, andthe occupants of the houses are subjected to much annoyance. This annoyance is even more liable to occur in apartment houses where the bell buttons are usually arranged in rows in the vestibule, and a mistake in choosing the buttons is easily made.

The invention therefore comprises a signal, means for operating the signal, means for ascertaining the identity of the signal, means for operating the ascertaining means, and means for preventing the operation of the signal until after the ascertaining means has been operated.

I have chosen to illustrate my invention in connection with an electrical bell and an electric light, but it is to be understood that it may be employed in connection with other signaling means and other signal ascertaining means, and is not restricted to use in connection with call bells in houses or apartments but may have other uses.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a portion of a row of signal operating means arranged beneath letter boxes as is usual in apartment houses. Fig. 2 is an end View of the apparatus shown 3 illustrates the application of the invention to the door of a house. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of a switch suitable forcarrying out line 33 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow, the cover of the switch being ren'ioved. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line l4 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrow, the switch cover being in place. Fig. 6 is a plan of the top of a cap surrounding the switch spindle. Fig. 7 is a diagram of circuit conas is usual in locating while theother leg is in Fig. 1. Fig.

after the manner the spring 6 and nections,

arrangement ofconnections.

Referringto the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, each of a row of letter boxes A, such as are commonly used in apartment houses, is provided with an electric lamp B, the light from which lamp is reflected by a reflector C to a point at which is located the name-of the occupant of the corresponding apartment, or other means for indicating the apartment corresponding to the letter box and the signal operating means D located beneath the box.

In Fig. 3 the means D is mounted in a convenient place atone side of the door, door bell operating means, while the electric lamp Bis mounted over the door and its light is reflected upon the house number located on the transom.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the operating means D comprises a base 1 of insulating material on which are mounted the electrical contacts 2, 3, and 4, and also the V -shaped spring 6 of conducting material; The spring 6 has one of its legs secured to the base 1 adapted when depressed to make contact with the contact 3. The spring and contacts 7 which may be secured to the base in any suitable manner.

Conductors are connected to the contacts 2, 3, aud t and to the spring 6, and any suitable devices for affording the conductors access to the interior of the casing may be an ploycd, but preferably they are introduced through holes, as 8, in the base 1. A spindle 9 extends through the cover 7. At its inner end it is adapted to bear againstthe free leg of the spring 6, and carries the transversely extending conductor 10 adapted to engage with contacts 2 and 4. The conductor 10 is suitably insulated in the spindle so that there is no electrical connection between the conductor 10 and the spring 6. At its outer end, the spindle carries a handle 11. A spring 12 normally holds the conductor 10 out of engagement with the contacts 2 and 4, and it will be observed that the spring 6 is normally out of engagement with the contact 3. B turning the spindle the contacts 2 and 4 may be connected by the conductor 10, while by pressing upon the outer end of the spindle of operating a push button, the contact 3 may be brought together.

are inclosed by a cover It is desirable that the circuit closures de-' scribed should occur successively, as will be hereinafter set forth. This may be accom'; plished by making the upper end of the spindle square in section and forming a square hole the top of the cover through which the square portion of the spindle may slide with easy' clearance when the hole and ,the conductor. 10 will engage the contacts 2 and 4, and then, and not until then, the hole and the spindle will register, and the spindle may be. depressed to bring the spring 6 against contact 3. It will now be obvious ing, the circuit connections then being as.

that the connections between the contacts 2 and 4 and between the spring 6 and contact 3 are successively made, and that the latter cannot be made until after the former has been. The former connection operates to close the light circuit,'while the latter closes the si nal or hell circuit.

Re erring to Fig. 7, 15 is a suitable source of current as a primary battery. The operating means D is diagrammatically illustrated as a connectin arm 16 successively making circuit connections in the manner as already described by contacting with the contacts 17 and 18. The signal is shown as an electric bell 19 located in the apartment or other locality to be signaled. One terminalof the battery is connected to one terminal of the bell, and also to one terminal of the lamp. The other terminals of the lamp andbell are respectively connected to the contacts 17 and 18. The other terminal of the battery is connected to the arm 16. Each apartment or location to be signaled is similarly provided with apparatus. If new a person desiring to confer with the occupants of an apartment or house, as the case may be, grasps the handle 11 and turns it, (he is prevented from depressing it as before shown), a connection between the contacts 2 and 4; is made as a result of. the turnwhen the arm 16 rests upon the contact 17 in Fig. 7. The lamp then lights and attracts the attention ofthe operator, who, by the illumination afforded by the lamp, may ascertain if he is attempting to operate the proper signal or is in the wrong place. If he finds that he is wrong he mayrelease the switch, which will immediately return to normal position under the influence of the spring 12,

and nobody will have been annoyed, because no bell has been rung. If, however, he finds that he is about to operate the proper gnal,

he may push the spindle inwardly, when the spring 6 and contact 3 will engage, thus closing the bell circuit and ringing the bell, the circuit being as when the arm 16 rests on the contact 18 1n Fig. 7. of the spindle, the spring 0 w ll throw it outwardly and the spring 12 will return \it to 0d position in readiness for the next caller.

The circuits of Fig; 8 are similar to those of Fig. 7 except that a single lamp answers for all of a group of signal operating means and is lighted by any one oi them. This is accomplished by connecting all the means to one terminal of the lamp as shown.

lVhile I have illustrated my invention in what I consider its best embodiment, it is to be understood that it may be embodied in other constructions, and should not be limited to the structure shown.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a signal, of means for ascertaining the identity of said signal, means for operating said signal, means for operating said ascertaining means, and means for preventing the opcration of said signal operating means until after said ascertaining means has been operated.

2. The combination with a signal, of an indicator for denoting the said signal, a lamp adapted to illuminate said indicator, means for lighting said lamp, means for operating sai signal, and means for preventing the operation of saidsignal until after said lamp has been lighted.

3. The combination with a signal, oi a switch for said signal and means for identitying it, a lamp adapted to illuminate said identifying means, a circuit for said signal and a circuit for said lamp, said switch comprising contacts in said signal circuit, contacts in said lamp circuit, conductors adapted to connect said contacts to close the respective circuits, and a spindle adapted to bedepressed to close one circuit and to be turned to close the other.

4. The combination with asignal, of a switch for said. signal and means for identitying it, a lamp adapted to illuminate said identifying means, a circuit for said. signal and a circuit for said lamp, said switch comprising contacts in said signal circuit, contacts in said lamp circuit; conductors adapted to connect said contacts to close the respective circuits, and a spindle adapted. to be depressed to close the signal circuit and to be turned to close the lamp circuit.

5. The combination with a signal, of a switch for said signal and means for idcnti- Upon the release ed to connect saidcontacts to close the respectlve circuits, and a spindle adapted to be depressed to close said signal circuit and to be turned to close said lamp circuit, and

means for preventing the depression of said spindle until after it has been turned.

6. The combination witha switch spindle adapted to be turned and depressed, of two sets of circuit contacts, means operative by the depression of said spindle for closing.

.by the turning of said spindle for closing the other set of contacts, and means for preventing the closing of one set of contacts before the other set has been closed.

8. The combination with a switch spindle adapted to be turned and depressed, of two sets of circuit contacts, means operative by the depression of said spindle for closing one of said sets of contacts, means operative by the turning of saidspindle for closing the other set of contacts, and means for preventing. the depression of said spindle before it has been turned. f

9. The combination with two'electric circuits, of a switch comprising two sets of circuit contacts, a switch spindle adapted to be turned and depressed, means operative by the. depression of said spindle for closing one of said sets of contacts, and means operative by the turning of said spindle for closing the other set of contacts, one set of contacts being connected in each circuit.

10. The combination with two electric circuits, of a switch comprising two sets of circuit contacts, a switch spindle adapted to be turned and depressed, means operative by the depression of said spindle for closing one of said sets of contacts, means operative by ti turning of said spindle for closingthe cti set of contacts, and means for preventingthe" closing of one set of contacts before the other i set has been closed, one set ofcontacts being connected in each circuit.

' l1. The combination with two electric circuits, of a switch comprising two sets of circuit contacts, a switch spindle adapted to be turned and depressed, means operative by the depression of said spindle for closing one of said sets of contacts, means operative by the turning of said spindle for closing the other set of contacts, and means for preventing the depression of said spindle before it has been turned, one set of contacts being connected in each circuit.

12. The combination with a signal, of a switch for said signal and means for identifying it, a lamp to illuminate saidswitch and identifying means, and circuits operated by said switch whereby the lamp is lighted before the signal is operated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thlsspecification 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

lVALTER T. MOON. 

